Noblesse Summit Invitation

[Verto]

Yes, I concealed it well.

[Squeblish Nef?]

First, sarcasm-armed armies, now hyper-ships.
I'm quitting NS, and killing myself.
Goodbye.

[Verto]

That smiley is getting alot of use.

[Uncle Sparky]

Out - Verto : I suspect you meant to say earlier that the cruise would be played out over seven days, even though in "real time" we will have been on the ship for several weeks... That would probably make our realists happy.

In - An extremely ordinary looking converted DC 9 with what appears to be a glowing golden halo where the tail fin normally would be lands at the West Isle airport. The United Good delegation has arrived.

They are greeted by a local band playing their national hymn "United Good for All"... all 28½ minutes of it. Many local onlookers note that the hymn sounds remarkably like "Hotel California", but with a sax riff.

Brother Damien and co. are led to the waiting limos and whisked to the docks. They are quite impressed by the Noblesse ... Damien especially notes the mirror over the round king sized bed in his cabin... perfect for indoctrination ceremonies... should the need arise...

[joncha]

Originally posted by Squeblish Nef?
First, sarcasm-armed armies, now hyper-ships.
I'm quitting NS, and killing myself.
Goodbye.

[Squeblish Nef?]

Too late, I'm already dead.
Oh, and the Muslims were right.
You atheists are missing out on a good thing!

[Mr. President]

Back on topic

"Nice little city," said Senator Michaelsen. The local driver smiled and turned the government car around a corner.

"This is what you consider a 'little' city, sir?" he asked. It was quite a different dialect of English than that practiced on the shores of the Sea of Storms.

The visiting Senator smiled in return. "Actually, it'd be about the same size as Adailton . . . wouldn't it? Three hundred thousand or so?"

The Noblesse loomed at the dock just ahead. "What a beautiful ship," Michaelsen commented. "You simply must give me the name of the contractor."

"I suspect the Consul would be more helpful in that regard, sir," replied the driver. He engaged the parking brake. "Enjoy your visit."

[arkatahten]

Someone who looks like, and probably is, the most Holy Emperor Arkatahten, shows up.

[Squeblish Nef?]

Kasatra Al Mastif strolls onto the ship, idly juggling a scimitar.
He is flanked by three extremely mean-looking Destrakhanis, one of whom is talking animatedly into his turban.
Farasi Al Mastif follows, his glazed expression and the buzzing sound eminating from his headdress betraying the fact that he is using a HUD. (Icky! Icky grammar! Bad!)
Kharavos is last up, his ornately-wrought arbalest raised in salute.
The rest of the contingent boarded whenever, four only arriving at the last boarding call.

(Need to spend more time on my posts. Icky!)

[Scorpi40000]

The characteristic sound of a helicopter is heard aboard the ESS Noblesse. The sound fades as the helicopter lands. Out of it come three men, two of them armed. The third is the man known only as the Prime Minister of Scorpiania. The scorpians have a long tradition of anonymous ministers and decoys. Very few people know precisely who and where the real Prime Minister is.

This man is probably a decoy.

[Verto]

While the Consul wrapped up an unexpected call from the Expeditionary Force commander, the captain of the Noblesse arranged from the gathered delegates' luggage be taken to their respective quarters, while he and a small contingent of marines and crewmen, provided them with a brief tour of the Noblesse.

He first lead them up a stairway, having them unknowingly pass through a series of detectors; he noticed at least two men were armed, before he took them up on the deck; the marines would discreetly inform those armed that their weapons would be placed in a secure location for the duration of the voyage.

"This is the aft, top deck swimming pool," the captain explained. "There are three others just like it, should you or your companions wish to make use of them."



The water glistened, the dazzling sunlight reflected onto the glass wall.

Leading them around the pool, he took them inside again.

They stopped briefly at the planetarium.



"You will be some of the first to see images taken from the Intrepid Satellite, which the ESEA recently installed over Mars," the captain noted. "The satellite is one of the most powerful employed by any nation in the world."

They passed a series of small ballrooms and open libraries, before entering what the captain called the Senate Gardens.



With various plantlife arranged around the room, their was a faintly sweet aroma in the air.

"As you will see when you return to your quarters, the Consul has arranged for all of you to enjoy a light breakfast here tomorrow; I trust each of you will enjoy the menu, prepared by some of the finest in the Republic."

A small, dime sized device partially concealed on his black belt beeped twice.

Gesturing for Senator Michaelson to move down the hallway, he lead them back towards where they had entered the ship.

They strode down the wide hallway, the Captain explaining the history or importance of various paintings: Morning Prelude, a watercolor painting from 1701; Resolute, an exquisite marble statue of the three original Consuls dating back to the days of the city-states, and the Ruling Families.

At last, they reached a wide, double-door, flanked by a pair of white uniformed crewmen. The captain, after again welcoming each member, excused himself.

He made his way back down the hallway, disappearing through a side door. The crewmen, after a slight hesitation, slowly opened the doors and bid the delegates pass through.

As they did so, they were greeted by a tall, slim man dressed in a well-tailored business suit. His hair was thinning, his gray hairs giving way to white. He was thin, perhaps too thin. Although still relatively young, he nevertheless walked with a cane. To all the world he kept secret the forces in his body working against him, weakening him long before his time.



From the top of the double staircase, he welcomed them. "Dear friends!" he said. With one hand on the railing, he raised the other in greeting, palm outward. "I greet you as friend and ally." He began making his way down the staircase, as the delegates looked around. "Welcome to the Grand Atrium, and welcome to the Noblesse!"

He shook hands with the delegates and representatives, his blue eyes taking in every detail. "Brother Damien, welcome. Senator, so pleased you are here. Your Majesty," he said to the Holy Emperor Arkatahten. "I am honored to speak with you in person. Kasatra Al Mastif, welcome aboard the Noblesse. Prime Minister, I look forward to making your acquaintance."

At last, when the pleasantries were over, he beckoned them to follow. "If you will come with me, a light lunch has been prepared for us; today is yours to do as you please, for you and your companions to get acquainted with the Noblesse."

[Squeblish Nef?]

The Arch-Capitalist fishes his monocle out of his 6th Gnollish Stout.
Again.

Kharavos Al Mastif is busy explaining to a group of Scorpianians why their that there money thingomic growth rate is 22.41% below the regional average.

Kasatra Al Mastif attempts to chat up an Emerald Cove aide.

Farasi Al Mastif appears to get more and more nervous.

[arkatahten]

The Holy Emperor Arkatahten and four stoic female ninja guards in skimpy costumes approach Kharavos Al Mastif. Arkatahten casts a smoldering eye on the group of Scorpianians and nods politely to Kharavos. "I believe," he says to Kharavos quietly, "that you and I have business to discuss. Shall we grab a drink at the other end of the room where our noses won't be beset by these Scorpianians?"

EDITED FOR CLARITY: changed the word "says" to the phrase "says to Kharavos quietly".

[Mr. President]

Senator Michaelsen shook hands with a tall black man in a new suit, introduced himself, and discovered that his new friend was the Namibia Minister of Tourism.

"I've never been to Namibia," Michaelsen said. "You're a very long way from home."

"Yes," the minister replied. "We came on an Eredron plane, so it didn't take quite as long as it might have, but it does feel strange. Even the sky is different here."

"I can imagine," said Michaelsen. He tried to remember his geography lessons. "Namibia must be . . . two thousand miles south of Flinxland. Not to mention the time difference."

They talked some more about political events in Eredron and its territories. "Overall," the minister concluded, "people in Namibia appreciate what Eredron has done for us."

"I must admit," Michaelsen replied, "that Eredron - and Namibia - hasn't been getting a lot of news coverage in Karakas recently. We've always been an inward-looking country. The reporters tend to think that foreign countries are my problem." He laughed gently.

[Squeblish Nef?]

Kharavos Al Mastif raises an eyebrow.
"I would not be so rude about our Scorpianian friends. They are good consumers. But, yes, you are right."
He turns to the Scorpianians.
"We will continue this later. Well, my possibly deceptive friend, what have we to discuss? If you wish to discuss tightening our nations' ties even further, I can probably get someone to get Kasatra out from between that very nice girls' legs."